Content Creators 2. Risk and Reputation
So, let’s talk about risk and reputation management. The reason why I’m addressing this first is that it’s often the reason why people don’t even start; they’re scared of what people might say on the Internet, the people that are mean on the Internet; the reality is that you’re always going to deal with negative people on the Internet, and it’s about managing your time and making sure that you’re not sinking into the comments.
I often use an analogy around a conversation I had with a good friend years ago. I used to work in customer service, which was quite a full-on job. And I would deal with people everyday face to face, and some people would come into my store quite aggravated and angry, and I would take that home with me.
And what would happen is I’d carry it around with me every single day. And my friend would say to me, are you inviting them over for dinner? Well no. Do you remember their name? Well, no. So why are they living rent-free in my head? And I use this analogy because it’s the same for the Internet. We wouldn’t invite these people over into our homes.
We wouldn’t invite them over for dinner. So why are we inviting them to live rent-free in our homes, in our heads? Keeping healthy boundaries with the Internet becomes an important part, especially when it’s a key role. So, whether you’re a digital marketer or a business owner who’s spending quite a good percentage of your time online to promote your business, sinking into the comments is not the best use of your time.